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The Week in Internet News: Criminal Cryptocurrency Miners Target IoT

Cryptomining the IoT: Cryptocurrency mining has caused a run on high-powered graphics cards, but criminal groups are looking for ways to exploit other computing power for mining operations. One target is Internet of Things networks because of the lack of strong security on many IoT devices, reports ZDNet. IoT cryptojacking malware is becoming popular on underground forums.

Secrecy for Slackers: Have you ever sent a message on Slack that you didn’t want your boss to see? Or maybe you’re concerned that someone could forward your Slack conversations. Apparently, you’re not alone. Security consulting firm Minded Security has created a tool, called Shhlack, that allows for encrypted messages in the popular messaging app, Motherboard says.

Hey, something worked! Law enforcement authorities in several countries worked together to take down WebStresser, a large DDoS-for-hire service, in late April. In the week following the takedown, DDoS attacks observed by one security provider dropped by about 60 percent in Europe, BleepingComputer reports. The drop may have been only temporary, however.

Fake news hits the courts: Malaysia’s controversial new has its first casualties. A Danish citizen has pleaded guilty maliciously publishing a fake news report by posting a YouTube video that appeared to contradict official police information about a shooting in the country, NPR reports. And now, the opposition leader in upcoming Malaysian elections is also being investigated for allegedly distributing fake news, according to The Guardian.

Blockchain is fake news? While we’ve seen several industries adopting or exploring uses for blockchain, not everyone is a believer. Testifying before British Parliament’s Treasury Committee, Martin Walker, with think tank the Center for Evidence-Based Management, called blockchain “pixie dust,” reports BusinessInsider. He also called blockchain a fad that so far has amounted to “little to nothing.”

Blockchain hits the road: Walker may observe little progress for blockchain, but four of the world’s largest car makers see potential. BMW, Ford, Renault, and General Motors have joined a working group examining ways to put blockchain in vehicles, CNBC says. Potential uses include autonomous payments and ridesharing.

Still not buying it: After some recent proposals to give law enforcement agencies backdoor access to encrypted communications, a group of large tech companies have repeated their opposition, ZDNet reports. New plans to work around encryption, including a new spin on key escrow proposed by former Microsoft software chief Ray Ozzie, “appear to suffer from the same technical and design concerns that security researchers have identified for years,” the companies said.

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